Go Big!

Today is my 32nd birthday (Yippee!). But it is two years ago – the year I turned 30 – that I choose to celebrate.

In January 2009, I registered for my first half marathon. Although I had never run before, I figured that in the year where I went from being in the ‘25-29 group’ to the ‘30-35 group,’ I needed to do something BIG; something to remind myself that I wasn’t growing old too fast. I had gotten a tattoo the year before –at 29 – so earning a half marathon medal and crossing that off my ‘life list’ seemed like a logical move for the big 3-0.

For six months, I trained. I talked to the handful of runners I knew personally. I developed a concrete running schedule, asked thousands of questions and prepared like I had never prepared for anything before. I am a professional career woman who works hard and somehow successfully manages to survive life with two kids. But folks, prior to running 13.1 for the first time, I had NEVER strived with such determination and tenacity to accomplish something so personal.

In just a few short months, running had transformed my life, and it never would have happened had I not decided to GO BIG for my 30th year of life.

Today, I celebrate the decision I made two years ago. I ran my first half marathon when I was 30. Two months after that, I ran a second half marathon. Fast forward another month and I ran another. It took one small step and an awfully big birthday, but I fell in love with running and haven’t looked back.

If you have a “big birthday” this year, I encourage you to step out a bit and GO BIG. Find a bigger-than-ever-before kind of race to do. If you’ve never raced, then DO IT. And don’t just settle…make your big year extra-special by taking a chance and making it great.

Tags: half marathon